CULTIVATING CONSCIOUSNESS
on those beauty brands that choose to honour nature

BY Rosie Dalton

‘The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.’

—Goethe

Over recent years, we’ve seen a steady rise in consumer consciousness and a desire to understand the impacts of the products we buy. An area in which this groundswell has felt particularly prominent is in the field of beauty. And yet, it is also a difficult space for this particular conversation—at least in a world so driven by scientific product development and bold marketing claims around the powers to reverse time in a tube.

Consumers today have come to expect highly efficacious skincare and beauty products but are also becoming increasingly sceptical about the environmental costs of such convoluted ingredients lists on the back of eye-catching bottles. And increasingly inclined to align themselves with likeminded brands that share their same values. Those that feel close to us in spirit.

Which is where we have witnessed the rise of a new guard of pioneering beauty brands. The ones that choose to honour nature, while also delivering luxurious products that actually work. Here, we explore a few favourites in this space—from the plant-forward formulations of Emma Lewisham and LESSE, to Sandor's sustainable hair care, and J. Hannah’s non-toxic nail polishes. 

SÁNDOR

Good quality natural hair care is really difficult to find—especially the kind that feels as luxurious as it is effective. Enter Sándor. Founded in 2020 by Brooklyn-based hairstylist Sabrina Szinay, this pared-back line creates plant-based hair care with a focus on sustainability and zero-waste packaging. After years of working in fashion, Szinay says she had tried countless hair products ‘without finding one that successfully merged excellent performance and sustainable design.’ So that became the mission behind her Grounding Shampoo and Grounding Conditioner—both of which come in recyclable aluminium with a reusable pump, and draw on ingredients from the earth, like oat amino, organic aloe vera, chamomile, and jojoba oil. A zero-waste hair ritual for the conscious consumer.

LESSE

Founded by Filipino-Australian Neada Deters in 2018, LESSE has garnered a cult global following with its botanical formulations and less is more approach. ‘We believe organic skin care is a universal necessity, transcending binaries and essential to our individual and collective health,’ Deters explains. ‘Our focus is on creating real solutions for common and chronic skin concerns. Through products that are truly effective and considerate of the Earth.’ Think a tightly edited curation of skincare essentials, housed in recyclable packaging—for optimal impact on your skin and minimal impact on our planet. Products that invite a sense of ritual, not routine.

J. HANNAH

Jess Hannah is a jewellery designer by trade. But what better way to complement a well-adorned hand than with the launch of a line of non-toxic nail polishes? So, in 2017, that’s just what the Downtown LA-Based designer did. Cruelty-free, non-toxic, and made in the USA, J. Hannah polishes are inspired by thought-provoking colour theory references. By artists’ palettes, elements from nature, and iconic muses throughout history. In the words of Jess Hannah, these are ‘Polishes that consider the gracefulness of hands, and the role of subtle colour as an element in the considered wardrobe.’

EMMA LEWISHAM

Founded in 2019, New Zealand based beauty brand Emma Lewisham is leading the movement towards a more circular, climate positive, and transparent beauty industry with its 100% natural skincare formulations. With a focus on recycling and refills, as well as a rigorous scientific approach, the brand delivers natural formulations that are free from fillers, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic preservatives. This approach—and those distinctive purple bottles—have even caught the attention of Dr Jane Goodall, who has said that ‘Emma Lewisham may be setting a new benchmark in beauty, but they are also setting a benchmark for how all industries should be operating—circular, waste-free, and carbon positive.’